Finding the Man Under the Mask
by EmeralDarius7731
Summary: Leroy Jethro Gibbs lived under a mask ever since he returned to America after a year in England; after meeting Hadrian Potter and the Tri-Wizard Tournament. These small stories show how his team find out about Jethro's other family, and how the find man hidden under the mask.
1. Chapter 1

(Donald Mallard)

As soon as anyone worked with Leroy Jethro Gibbs, even for a day or shorter, they knew the guy hid things. Most didn't care - everyone hid things, especially special agents who had worked undercover. The longer people worked with him though the more they realised how large their boss or co-worker's secrets really were.

Donald Mallard worked with Jethro for longer then anyone else. He knew the most, even thought of Jethro as a friend, but after finding his friend curled into a ball on his sofa, clutching at a photo, on the last day on July, even he had to rethink what he knew about the man.

"Jethro?"

The man didn't look up and once he looked closer he realised Jethro was asleep, his fingers soft on the picture, allowing Donald to slip it from his grasp, pushing a pillow under the younger man's head as he did so. Jethro didn't even wake.

The picture was of two young boys with two babies in their laps. The older of the two boys was clearly Jethro, even though he was only seventeen in the picture - those blue eyes Donald would know anywhere. The younger was a couple of years younger, maybe fifteen or so, with short black hair and startling green eyes - just as startling as Jethro's own blue eyes. Jethro had an arm around the younger boy's shoulders and the love in his eyes were timeless, perfectly clear even in the picture. The younger boy looked back at Jethro in the same way, even as he held tight to the babies in his arms. Both babies had tuffs of either light blonde or red hair and both were asleep.

"Duck?"

Donald had the grace to blush as he looked over to his friend. "Jethro, you're awake. I...I didn't mean to pry."

Jethro snorted, pushing himself into a sitting position. "It's ok Duck. Hits me hard sometimes..."

"Jethro...is...was he your partner?" Donald asked softly, lowering himself into one of the chairs opposite. Jethro smiled slightly.

"He's still alive, Duck" he answered. "And yeah, he's my partner. Been so since I was seventeen, he fifteen - just a month before that picture. Last time Dad and I went on a trip together. He's Scottish, you know Duck? You remind me of him sometimes."

Donald smiled slightly. "And the babies?"

"He's second cousins" Jethro's face darkened. "His family hated him...well, hated everything not normal. His cousin fathered them but didn't want anything to do with them, so we looked after them 'til I left. Ray got the court to agree with him being guardian since the rest of their family didn't want anything to do with them. They still live there, in Scotland...Ray sends letter when he can."

"Ray?" Donald propped. Jethro nodded with a smile, love shinning through his eyes.

"Hadrian" he answered Donald's unasked question. "Hadrian James Potter. Everyone called him Harry but he hated it. He was always Ray to me. I was Roy to him."

Donald smiled happily at his friend. "Jethro...if you don't mind me saying...you act as though he is at war."

"He is" Jethro sighed. "You've heard of the attacks in Scotland?"

"Of course" Donald nodded. "It was one of the reasons why I wanted Mother to move over here so much. Our old house was always close to the attacks."

Jethro nodded, staring at his hands. "Ducky...do you know why the attacks happened?"

"Magic" Donald answered at once. "My father and younger brother both were wizards. They were killed in an attack in 1956. Jethro...are you telling me that your partner is involved in this war back in Scotland?"

Jethro nodded. "He's the Boy-Who-Lived - figure head of the Light side after Dumbledore died." He spat out the whole sentence. Donald stared, and not just because of what his friend had said, or even how he had said it. Jethro looked up to find Donald still staring. He frowned, "What?"

"Mother keeps up with the news of Britain much more then I do. She...she told me that, about a year ago, Harry Potter married Ginny Weasley just before their first child was born" Donald looked down, not wanted to see his friend's face at the news of his partner - who he was clearly in love with even after so many years - cheating. His head snapped up when he heard Jethro laugh.

"Duck - Ducky - I've been married four time since Ray and I last saw each other" the younger man explained with a grin, shaking his head. "It's a part of war, especially one like ours. Half a lifetime apart, it's not like we can expect the other to be monks. We tell each other and our other partners everything. It's why I've been divorced three times."

Donald nodded, not really understanding but if it worked for Jethro... "Wait, Jethro, you said four marriages..."

"Yeah" Jethro sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. Donald watched as the silver strands turned darker for a moment, then back to silver. "Shannon was my first wife. Married in 1982...we had three kids - Kelly, Katherine and Jacob. All three are in comas...from the car crash that killed Shannon."

"Oh Jethro" Donald reached over, resting his hands over Jethro's, giving the man back his picture as he did so. "I am so sorry..."

Jethro waved him away. "It's fine Duck. You weren't to know. I visit them every Sunday, just after going to Shan's grave and sending a letter off to Ray."

"Your whole family in one day" Donald smiled. Jethro nodded, looking down at the only picture he had of his partner. He ran a finger over fifteen year old Ray's face, smiling softly.

"Are you ok Jethro? Can you come into work?" Donald asked after a moment. "Your agents are quite worried Jethro."

Jethro snorted. "Only 'cause I'm their leader. I'll be in after lunch. Tom knows that...I need time on some days. Just go back to NCIS Duck, I'll be fine."

Donald nodded and stood, patting Jethro softly on the shoulder as he walked past. Jethro smiled up at him, watching as Donald walked away and out of the house. A moment later the car started up and Jethro found himself alone again.


	2. Chapter 2

(Anthony DiNozzo)

Three years after Tony started on Jethro's team he found out about the older man's partner. It was on Halloween - one of the few that they were on call for but didn't have a case. So they sat in the office doing paperwork. Kate and McGee left around six, normal working hours, and promised to keep their phones and close to them, just in case. Which left Tony and Jethro alone, which was quite normal (not that anyone but them knew that).

At nine Jethro turned off his computer and put his head down to, Tony guessed, go to sleep. The next thing he knew, about twenty minutes later, his boss was twitching and shouting in nightmare. Tony started at the first shout before jumping up, making his way quickly to his boss, then stopped just as he was about to reach out.

"Ray!" Jethro was calling, a hand out. "Hadrian! Hadrian!"

Tony made up his mind and reached out again, this time his hand falling on Jethro's shoulder and shock his boss hard. Jethro jumped up, starting around wildly, blue eyes slightly crazy before they focused on Tony. A second later Jethro had stepped up from the crutched stance he had fallen into.

"Tony? What...did I call out?"

"Yeah, for Hadrian mostly, and a couple others - Shannon I think one was" Tony explained. "Boss, are you ok? I've seen nightmares before...that wasn't a normal one."

"No, it wasn't" Jethro agreed with a sigh, sitting down heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "It's memories... Halloween's always the worse."

"That's ok Boss. I still have nightmares 'bout finding my mother dead" Tony smiled slightly, looking down. "Don't tell Kate and McGee though." He glanced up with a weak smile. Jethro smiled back slightly.

After a moment Tony asked, "Do you...wanna talk 'bout it Boss?"

Jethro looked surprised but nodded. "Yeah sure. Pull up a chair Tony - it'll be more interesting then paperwork at least."

Tony grinned at the slight joke and pulled McGee's chair over to sit on the other side of the desk from Jethro. Jethro took a deep breath and pulled his wallet out, taking a picture out and showed it to Tony. Tony took it and looked it over with a smile.

"This' you" he said, sure, as he pointed to the young Jethro in the picture. Jethro nodded, pointing to the other boy.

"This' Hadrian Potter, my partner" he explained. Tony didn't look too surprised but Jethro guessed that was because of the photo itself. "We were together, physically, for three months of my summer holiday in 1975, but emotionally, mentally, we've been together ever since then. He's in Scotland now - lives with a wife and kids but we're still together." Jethro's smile dropped and he closed his eyes for a moment, jaw clenching. "The three to last week I was there we were attacked - me, my dad, Ray and the babies. We all made it out alive but Ray...Ray ran after the attacks. They made him deaf for close to a year...and they made me watch as they did it."

"Boss..." Tony reached over, placing a hand on Jethro's arm. "You ok? I didn't mean...?"

"Know you didn't" Jethro muttered with a smile. "It's alright Tony. That's my nightmare - my memory of Ray. Shannon was my first wife. She was killed in a car crash that put our three kids into comas. I was on deployment and couldn't save them... It's what I dream about - always nightmares about them. I'll be ok Tony." He patted Tony's hand on his arm as he said that, turning to his computer.

"What were they like?" Tony asked suddenly, softly. Jethro turned back, surprised, but his face suddenly spilt into a smile at the thought of the his first loves.

"They were both wonderful, so powerful in their own way. Ray was like a fire, always burning a path to what he wanted, including into my heart. His fire turned cold over our time together though - turned to cold ice with vengeance - yet with me, with family and friend, he was soft, like a hearth. With him...I felt warmed by him. Had we stayed together I'm sure I wouldn't go into the Marines" Jethro laughed since. His eyes had been so bright since he begun talking about his partner, staring off behind Tony's head. "He was involved in a war too so... I always told him, and he always told me, that had we been different, had there not been wars about, we would be together a lifetime. We're just those types of men - we fight for family. Ray does that every day...as do I."

"He's in a war?" Tony asked, eyebrow raised. Jethro nodded, his face darkening.

"One he didn't want to be in" he said darkly. "He was pushed into it and still hates it. If he could he'd be here, no matter what anyone but us says. But he'll be here, soon as the war's over."

Tony smiled and a slight nod. "Sounds like your a love sick teenager."

Jethro swiped at Tony with a smile. Tony grinned back.

"Thanks for telling me about Hadrian, Boss" Tony said after a moment, standing. He took McGee's chair back to his desk, then went to his own. "I won't say anything to anyone."

"Thanks Tony" Jethro nodded, turning his computer back on. "Ducky already know...if you want to talk with someone else about this, and the director."

Tony nodded.

Five minutes later the two men were back at work as though nothing had happened.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys! Sorry it's taken so long for me to get back to writing, but I hope you enjoy this chapter, though short, and the many to follow in both this story and others.**

(Catilin Todd)

As a profiler Kate knew her boss, Gibbs, was hurting. At first she had thought it was because of an agent, maybe a friend. Then time went on and the hurt stayed, not healing, and even getting worse at times.

She watched as people just looked at Gibbs' behaviour, just taking as it as part of him, and just went on with their lives. Tony seemed to understand what was going on though - maybe even more then she did. For the short time she worked with them she noticed the many times Gibbs disappeared and Tony covered for him, and even a few times when Gibbs called to Tony and when they returned Gibbs' eyes were red from tears and Tony had a haunted look. Still, she never asked them, though she did once ask Ducky.

"Best leave them to it, Catilin" the ME had told her. "If Jethro wants you to know, he will tell you."

And so Kate did. She even helped Tony out when the Director came down to find Gibbs not at his desk, nor out for coffee. It surprised Tony but she could see that the brown haired man was pleased, nevertheless. She never did find out what her boss hid, never asked him, and never got the chance to.

But when she woke, finding herself floating over her own dead body, Tony bent over her, Gibbs looking around for the sniper; she met a wonderful woman with piercing blue eyes and long red hair named Shannon Gibbs, and she began to learn.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here ya go: the next chapter, hope you enjoy it. A bit mushy at the end, and spoilers for future chapters - sorry!**

(Timothy McGee)

Tim wasn't as stupid as people thought. True he was slow sometimes and easily freaked, but he wasn't stupid. He observed a lot more then anyone thought, and because of that he knew little details about his team that no one else knew.

Kate made sure never to touch her hair after washing it, especially when she showered at work. For some reason, which even after her death Tim was never too sure about, it had something to do with her childhood. She also always went to church on Sundays and only even missed when they were on cases, although she'd go twice the next week if that happened. She also loved cats and singing.

Tony was an odd one, and no matter what he told people, Tim seemed to work out his elder partner, in time of course. Tony wasn't lazy and he was smart too, maybe even as smart, if not smarter, then Tim. Even though he played loads of child games he was really good at them, patience and working quickly even needed. He kept himself to himself, so much more then anyone thought but he was nice, protective over his friends, especially those he thought of as family, like the team.

Ducky - well, Ducky was easy. He was everything he showed and said. There were few things hidden about the man. He had a dark past, but then anyone through war did. He was a father to the team, a brother to Gibbs, and they all loved him for it. Also, as Tim found out, Ducky hated ducks.

Abby - again, no surprises there, she was just herself with everyone, no matter who they were. She was almost a child in an adults body, refreshingly innocent and beautiful just as she was because of it, and Tim loved her even for it...at first.

And then there was Gibbs. His boss. So different from the rest of the team. So...hidden, even more so then Tony. At first Tim only noticed the tiny things - the fact that that coffee his boss drank wasn't nearly as dark as he lead people to believe, nor as non-sweet. He loved pumpkin pie too, but it made him sad for some reason, for a moment, until his mask came back and he was the same normal Gibbs again. And every now and then a bottle of almost glowing orange liquid would find itself from Gibbs' draw to his table, always on the same days - the last of July and October, Christmas, Mew Years and the beginning of the summer holidays - he never shared and never explained why. On those days Tim would notice the stripe of silver around his boss' ring finger, and the look of longing he would give happy families before turning even more grumpy and mean then before. And then there were the few letters which would appear every now and then in the post, which Gibbs would quickly snatch up before anyone, even the mail guy, got to see the name on them. In the end it painted a sad picture, one which Tim wished would have a happy ending.

So when he noticed, after years of working under the same boss, Gibbs come into work with a smile on his face, the ring on his finger - and it wasn't any of those days - and a peaceful look in his eye, Tim knew...well, he wasn't too sure what he happened, but he knew the picture he had once seen - that it had changed, become happier, and for that he was glad.

"Boss?"

Gibbs' eyes, bright with happiness, met his with a smile. "Yeah McGee?"

"Did you...did you find what you were looking for?"

Gibbs grinned. "Yeah Tim, yeah I found it."


	5. Chapter 5

(Ziva David)

As Ziva once told Gibbs, DiNozzo, Ducky and McGee, she had done documents on each of them, from birth to present day. She knew their ages, the schools they had gone to and all the different jobs they had before NCIS. Every now and then, though, there a break in the records, normally for a year or so around university years. For Gibbs though...

Gibbs disappeared for four years - 1974 to 1978. There was no sight or sound from him during all of those years - he simply disappeared from his Marine base one day and reappeared, re-joining his Marine group as though nothing had happened years later. And she had seen the pictures - the before and after pictures of Gibbs - the young boy with a puppy face and bright blue eyes, ready for anything but angry...and then the older man with cold eyes and silver hair - just like the man she worked with, only the man she knew had more wrinkles to his face and a longing in his eye that no one understood.

Ziva once asked - a conversation she always relived yet never wanted to at the same time. It was just as they had met and Gibbs had cleared the room, asking her if she had found out about his wife and daughter.

"What happened in those years before Gibbs?" She asked, point blank, nothing else, just as he was turning to the door. For a second Gibbs stopped, frozen by her question, then he whirled around to stare at her, eyes blaring and wide at the same time.

"What?" He growled, stalking forward, the table between them, and for the first time in ages Ziva held fear bubbling up in her.

"The years, Gibbs. 1974 to 1978" Ziva stated. "You disappeared."

For a moment time seemed to stand still, then Gibbs seemed to shrink, falling into himself, his anger disappearing quickly. A second later Gibbs seemed to be a little boy, almost lost in a way, and tired - so tired.

"Yeah" he widened, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I disappeared in those years." He glanced up, eyes boring into Ziva's, hackles still raised. "Why you want to know?"

"You disappeared Gibbs! Four years and nothing Gibbs! It's like you died. People thought you died!" Ziva shouted at him, annoyed at weeks of research down the pipe. And Gibbs...chuckled.

"You ever died, Ziva David?" He asked, stretching her name out. "Just disappeared? Become someone else? It's wonderful - best four years of my life." And his face fell. "And the worse."

Ziva frowned, not sure what was meant by that but ignored it. "What happened to you in that time Gibbs? I saw the pictures - that is not normal!"

"No, it's not" Gibbs sighed, suddenly sad. "You keep this all to yourself David, or gods help you...got it?"

Ziva nodded, suddenly afraid of the man in front of her - suddenly not a man but a predator. She nodded again, dropping her head to the stare at the lab desk, tracing a finger over the desk as she listened to Gibbs walk from the room, closing the door behind him, allowing Ziva alone with her thoughts.

Half an hour later she walked from the room, the conversation in the back of her mind, to be kept there for years.

Years later, with a husband and a few adopted children, Ziva - now Ziva Mick - opened the door to an older Gibbs and another man.

"Hello Ziva. It seems I use you some long overdue answers."


End file.
